Double Trouble
by Sylvie Orp
Summary: After months of hard work, Cowley wants to be in on the 'kill'. In two chapters
1. Chapter 1

Bodie and Doyle had their boss with them on this assignment. It was the culmination of months of hard graft trying to get a lead on Coulson and his gang and bring them to book. Cowley wanted to be in on the 'kill'. They parked up carefully at an old warehouse where the gang were last seen. The three got out silently and went hunting. The four-man gang however had a look-out who raised the alarm and had the mob running in all directions. The CI5 men set off in pursuit, belting over the uneven ground and vaulting over debris. They weren't going to let this one go. Their hackles were raised and the adrenaline pumping, like well trained gun dogs who'd scented their prey. It was what their life was all about. Bodie was off round the corner in a moment, Doyle and Cowley taking the other side of the building. As Doyle was gaining on one of the gang, he heard a grunt and a thud behind him. It was Cowley. Doyle instantly turned and ran towards his boss, the battle forgotten. Bodie went on ahead, oblivious to the drama nearby.

Doyle had assumed that Cowley had fallen over something, but as he reached his boss and his expert eye raked over the man he realised that he was probably looking at a heart attack. Doyle loosened Cowley's shirt and tie as he anxiously scanned the horizon for trouble, but there was little else the agent could do until the battle was over and he could get him to hospital. Already the Cow was losing colour, his wet face ashen. He was gasping for air and clutching his chest as though that would ease the agony there. As Doyle began to take his jacket off to make his boss more comfortable he caught movement over to his right. He reached automatically for his gun but, for once, he wasn't quick enough. The gun skittered from his hand as fire shot down his arm. He rolled instinctively as another bullet sought him. He scooped up his gun as another bullet ricocheted off the tarmac close to his head. As he rolled, he fired. A yell told him that he'd hit someone, and an exchange of fire in the distance told him that Bodie was being kept busy at his end, too. Doyle dragged himself back to his casualty. The Controller was fighting for breath and consciousness.

"Hold on sir," Doyle urged, not sure that his boss could hear him. His stomach tied in knots. He'd never seen the Cow like this – vulnerable. Doyle felt so helpless.

"Find him," Cowley urged, anxious that they shouldn't lose Coulson now that they were so close to success.

Doyle wasn't sure that the villain he'd picked off was Coulson or not. He hoped so for Cowley's sake. Feeling a little more secure, but worried about Bodie, Doyle got up slowly and cautiously. He had a deep flesh wound and was in a lot of pain and bleeding freely. His head was reeling.

"Careful laddie."

But Cowley's whispered words were lost in a roar of firepower. Unseen, Doyle's sniper had regained enough of his senses to retrieve his gun, and time enough to take careful aim. It was Coulson himself. Doyle yelled as the bullet's impact flung him backwards. He fell backwards across the Cow's legs. His hand convulsed on the trigger as he fell. It was a lucky shot. Coulson looked surprised as a bullet made a neat bindi on his forehead. He would be of no more trouble now to the Controller or any other authority except, perhaps, the Highest Authority of all. Cowley, barely conscious himself, reached out instinctively for his agent. Doyle made no move as the Cow's hand became saturated in his agent's blood.

"No lad," Cowley murmured with infinite sadness as he saw blood from the first wound merge with the second.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

The Controller woke slowly, submerged, and then woke again. Finally, he became aware enough to get annoyed at the mask on his face. He wasn't sure, in his drugged and confused state, what it was but it was irritating him. He was too tired to open his eyes, so he tried to push the mask away. A hand gently took Cowley's and pulled it away. The hand remained with him, enclosing it; holding it. A second hand joined it, cradling Cowley's hand within, firmly but gently. A thumb caressed his skin, round and round. Cowley it found this oddly comforting. He drifted off again feeling secure and safe as though his God was watching over him.

Sometime later, Cowley woke again. The irksome mask had been removed but the hands were still cradling his. He opened his eyes and found an exhausted agent staring anxiously back at him.

"You haven't shaved 3.7," he admonished sleepily.

Bodie grinned inanely, relief flooding through his body. He'd been at Cowley's side for over two days now as the Controller recovered from bypass surgery. It had been touch and go for the first 24 hours but, once over the initial crisis, the medical staff breathed a cautious sigh of relief and told Bodie that he could go home now; the crisis had passed. But wild horses wouldn't take Bodie from the bedside, not until the Cow was truly awake and functioning. Then there was Bodie's other problem … so he stayed. A few hours later, Cowley began to regain consciousness again, his eyebrows furrowed. The hand that Bodie was still holding became tense. Cowley's breathing became more rapid. But Bodie had been at the Controller's side for so long now that he knew every twitch and tic. He could read the Cow as never before. He knew what was going through his boss's mind. He leaned forward as the Cow began to open his eyes again.

"It's alright, sir. Doyle's out of intensive care now and already bothering the nurses!" Cowley chuckled. It was a rare sound but the most beautiful noise Bodie had heard for quite some time.

"He was shot," Cowley confirmed as his memory returned to the battlefield and felt again the warm blood of his agent seeping through his fingers.

"Oh, it'll take more than a bullet or two to kill the bugger!" Bodie retorted flippantly.

But that was not how he was feeling however and Cowley knew it. He smiled, seeing through Bodie as he often could. Sick jokes was his way of dealing with the sickness in the world he had to operate in. A whistling in the darkness.

Bodie had alternated bedside duties between one side ward and another as his friend and and his boss had fought their separate battles. He was exhausted beyond words, both physically and emotionally. Now, perhaps, he could go home and rest. Taking nothing for granted, Cowley made a note to ask the medical staff himself of Doyle's condition as soon as he could get rid of Bodie.

"I think you can leave me now lad. You've been here long enough. Bunking off work as usual!"

Bodie tried to look hurt but the grin on his face betrayed him. "Well don't get up to anything, okay?"

"That's your department."

Bodie could see more colour in the old man's face and the sparkle was returning to his eyes. The Cow was right, as usual. Bodie had completed his bedside duties. Doyle, too, was getting stronger. It was time for Bodie to look to his own needs. He squeezed the old man's shoulder. Cowley took his hand and held it.

"Thank you, Bodie," he said simply.

Bodie was too choked to think of a reply, so left. In the corridor a woman approached him as he waited for the lift. She slid an arm around him as they walked into the lift together.

"Hello, lover," she purred.

Bodie had been in a half dream and now took his first look at her. It was Sandra, one time lover and still a friend. She was a nurse here.

"Sorry, San, I was miles away."

"I think your reaction time's down, Bodie.".

She smiled into his bloodshot eyes. He smiled back, but the joy didn't reach his eyes. He clearly wasn't ready for company.

"I'll give you a lift," she said, falling on the practicalities.

Bodie began to protest, but Sandra insisted. He was quiet on the journey and it was only after 10 minutes or so that he realised that they were going the wrong way.

"Sorry, San, but I moved a few months back. I'm in Wandsworth now."

Sandra swore. "You could have told me!"

"Sorry. Look I'll get a bus."

He began to reach for the door handle, then realised that she was going at a steady 30 mph. She screeched the car around in a u-turn that would've done credit to any CI5 agent.

"You drive like Doyle," Bodie smiled at her, hoping to get on her better side before they both got killed.

She glanced at him and tried not to return the smile, but Bodie saw that her anger was melting.

"You always could press my buttons."

"I was better at undoing them!" Bodie retorted

He too was beginning to relax. The sight of her thighs wobbling under the engine's vibrations and straining against her too short skirt was also doing Bodie the world of good. He directed her through the streets until he got to within a few roads short of his address.

"This is me," he lied.

She parked up. It was clear that she was expecting a resumption of the old relationship. Bodie had to let her down gently.

"I'm sorry San. I'm not good for anything at the moment. Bloody knackered."

"Aye, Bodie, I know you are lover. Is there anything you'd like to talk about? We could do that instead if you like!" She looked at him expectedly.

Bodie smiled tiredly and shook his head. To soften the blow he leaned forward and kissed her thoroughly.

"Some other time, eh?" he murmured insincerely, pulling away.

Sandra knew that 'some other time' meant sometime never and she sighed sadly as she watched him leave. He walked into the first block of flats he came to and waited until she drove away before making his own way on foot to his flat. He let himself in wearily. His thoughts began to crowd in on him as he filled the kettle. In his exhausted mind, Cowley and his father merged into one. He'd sat at it is father's bedside as he'd watched him slowly die over several days. Fortunately Cowley hadn't followed the same route, but it had been close. Doyle too had been giving him sleepless nights as he fought for life on the operating table. _I couldn't lose you both_ , Bodie muttered to himself. Suddenly a tsunami of emotion washed over him. He put the kettle down heavily as his whole body shuddered under the weight of delayed reaction to the week's events. He slid down onto the floor and shook with gasping sobs. He tried to hold onto sanity, but it slipped through his fingers. He let the moment take itself where it would. He had no control left as he curled up on the floor. It was some time before he was able to bring himself under any kind of control. Although shaken by the sudden and unexpected eruption of emotion, he felt better for it. He had a shower and a shave and took himself to bed where he cried more gently for the two men he cared most about in the world. It had been close, but they had come through. CI5 would live to fight another day; Cowley at the helm and Doyle at his side. He could sleep now.


End file.
